My girlfriend is lanching a her business, so will I. Yet working synchronously to archive a common goals.

When people say 'I travel... and get paid for doing it', its intention is in a frustrated tone. Because constantly moving between environment really screwed up your head in many ways.

I feel very bad anbout missing Viet's wedding in Melb, he was a great mate, so is Van, but I was with my girlfriend and her parents on the Saturday night.

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 00:23:23 +1100

Phillip Island

Instead of going to Flemington for the 2006 Melbourne Cup horserace, I took a day tour through Phillip Island - no photographic equipments allowed with live penguins.

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 23:54:06 +1100

Career vs

Two roads diverged in the yellow wood - career vs. marriage. It doesnt mean I have to choose one over the other. It just mean if I choose career I keep doing what I'm doing and travel the world all alone. Or I can move back to Sydney, find another career there, support my girl and then get marry.

A career give me instant satisfaction and make me feel class superior, but sooner or later it will end. While my partner will be there forever.

Tet (lunar New Year festival) late Jan to mid Feb. Avoid Bad Luck talk; avoid business meetings before, during and after festival; Tet gifts are tea, fruit, sweets

Xmas is not official holiday

30th April = anniversary of liberation of Saigon in 1975

1st May = International Labour Day

19th May = birth of Ho Chi Minh

2nd September = National Day; Ho Chi Minh declared independent state in Hanoi in 1945

3rd September = anniversary of Ho Chi Minhs death in 1969

August = Trung Nguyen (Wandering Souls Day); pray for the souls of the dead

Town / Country

crowded cities

high poverty in country and city areas

poor infrastructure to support populations which are attracted to the city for work (roads, rail, accom, health)

HCMC = District One on north bank of Saigon River has colonial influence

Hanoi less frenetic

3,260 kms of coastline

Central coast beaches

Northern mountains

Travel Tips

little travel comforts and convenience

tourism is still a fledgling industry with little infrastructure to support it

dual pricing system for tourists dress down to get better prices; haggling is tough

Patience is a virtue + humour + calm.

Mix with locals / try and speak the language locals appreciate this

Rail and road travel is slow due to poor state

Beware of traffic and bikes

Dont travel alone at night; beware thieves and muggers

Beware of beggars and shoe shine boys, could be thieves

Food / drink

Food - be careful of water and fresh veges and chicken

Influenced by China etc

Wide use of fresh herbs

Street side Pho stalls noodle based soup

Bread and coffee french style

Nuoc Mam = rotten fish sauce, a delicacy

Ian or steamboat ot Mongolian hotpot is a popular large bowl full of seasoned broth and meat and veges are added to it

Ruou de, local rice wine like sake

Shopping

southern viets have different purchasing habits due to foreign influences

take essentials with you from home ie: medical and personal

bargaining is accepted but Viets are tough bargainers

Business Tips

tips: be patient; drawn out decision making process; be firm and direct not rude; read body language because much is unsaid or lost in translation

understand Confucianism big cultural influence

gift giving not required but OK

face to face meeting are crucial; may take longer than expected; dont plan too many in a day

exchange business cards

tea drinking ritual is observed

be prepared for serious drinking tram phan tram is 100% or gambei or bottoms up

Social Situations

avoid superior outdated colonial attitudes

seniority brings honour and respect

watch your voice level

Words / Phrases

heavy tonal language, therefore easy to mis pronounce the words

greeting to older man = chao ong

greeting to older woman = chao ba

thank you = Cam on

hello = Xin Chao

Goodbye = Tam biet

Excuse me = Toi xin loi

Yes = Phai

No = Khong

I dont know = Toi knong biet

Zero = Knong

Ten = Muoi

One = Mot

Other

metric system of weights and measures is used

currency is the Dong (VND) = 1 $AUD = 8,000 VND

tropical hot humid climate

office hours 7:30 to 4:30pm Mon-Sat

emergency phone numbers are 14 for medical assistance

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 21:18:49 +1100

Wish you were here

I talked the company's owner on Thursday about my thought of moving back to Sydney. Since I'm the youngest and talented face in the company, he see myself with high potential, so wasnt happy when I told him I wanted to leave the company to move back. Thus, he agrees with my new terms - giving me assignment in Sydney where possible or full expenses, accommodation travel while I'm on away-from-home assignment. And vice versa, I will continue to provide the client with the best-in-class solutions, independent consulting and professionalism.

Coastal cruise to Queenscliff via the Bellarine Peninsula. I got my summer tan back now! Summer is just around the corner, lots of nice-sexy flowers about. I promise myself I wont give in to temptation. Wish you were here, because you are my pornstar.

If I'm down to my last $50, I would spent it all on a full tank of fuel and keep driving till it run out. Where it stopped, thats where I will start a new life.

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 20:50:12 +1100

Body weapon

I got lazy since I moved to Melbourne on assignment, I havent play any outdoor sport! Muay Thai boxing seems like an interesting self-defence? :) Elbow, leg and knee are all effective body combat weapon. Too bad I missed out, Khanh was gonna setup a class for off-season dragon boat rowing team members, but I left for Melbourne before the first class commenced.

Kids

Irresponsible

My girlfriend will beat me with a bamboo-stick if she finds out i been irresponsible with my money (her money). So I'm repairing the window myself.

Windscreen from Toyota Genuine Parts = $120. Labour = priceless.

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:00:36 +1100

Finance buddy

I found this neat little software called Spb Finance. It helped me manage and track my expenses.

Balance

Gross annual incomes

$AUD156,000.00+

Professional Indemnity Insurance + Employer expenses

$AUD81,750.00

Superannuation

$AUD75,000.00

Income tax

$AUD55,968.00

Mortgage repayment

$AUD37,768.00

Expenses

$AUD16,968.00

Incidentials, bills, gifts, entertainments

$AUD-

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 22:51:05 +1100

I love Vietnamese food

because its slow, I enjoy eating slow food, something that takes along time to prepare and cook.

Vincent through great party! I got pretty trashed at his house warming party, I like his place, nice and big 4-bedroom, I'm sure the next thing on his list is getting a fishing boat!

I heard an interesting episode on this new trend in marketing called Lovemark. This will fuel the machine of capitalism in the next few decades. I see a pattern in all corporations, each one tries to be the dominant one in the market. So in order to archive this status they need to help of consultant companies like Saatchi n Saatchi and Glue:. Who's specialising in organisation restructuring and transform to maturity. This is the rat race of big companies and enterprises.

Fri, 24 Nov 2006 20:31:48 +1100

Untitled poem

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 23:32:20 +1100

Sometimes

Sometimes I just enjoy being alone. Because I can be care free. I make a decent income, but after mortgage, loan, expenses the wedding saving, I dont have much left. And yet shes still asking me to buy her this and that. Those unessential things. I need a second job - it's like whatever I'm earning its never going to be enough. I want to rob a bank.